1. Field of the Invention
The inventions herein described relate to systems and methods for cognitive radio.
2. Description of the Related Art
Spectrum Utilization Problems
A recent study by the FCC Spectrum Task Force [United States' Federal Communications Commission (FCC), “Report of the spectrum efficiency working group,” November 2002 found that while the available spectrum becomes increasingly scarce, the assigned spectrum is significantly underutilized. This imbalance between spectrum scarcity and spectrum underutilization is especially inappropriate in this Information Age, when a significant amount of spectrum is needed to provide ubiquitous wireless broadband connectivity, which is increasingly becoming an indispensable part of everyday life.
Static spectrum allocation over time can also result in spectrum fragmentation. With lack of an overall plan, spectrum allocations in the US and other countries over the past several decades can appear to be random. Despite some efforts to serve best interests at the time, this leads to significant spectrum fragmentation over time. The problem is exacerbated at a global level due to a lack of coordinated regional spectrum assignments. In order to operate under such spectrum conditions, a device can benefit from operational flexibility in frequency and/or band shape; such properties can help to maximally exploit local spectrum availability.
To address the above problems, an improved radio technology is needed that is capable of dynamically sensing and locating unused spectrum segments, and, communicating using these spectrum segments while essentially not causing harmful interference to designated users of the spectrum. Such a radio is generally referred to as a cognitive radio, although strictly speaking, it may perform only spectrum cognition functions and therefore can be a subtype of a broad-sense cognitive radio [J. M. III, “Cognitive radio for flexible mobile multimedia communications,” Mobile Networks and Applications, vol. 6, September 2001.] that learns and reacts to its operating environment. Key aspects of a cognitive radio can include:
Sensing: a capability to identify used and/or unused segments of spectrum.
Flexibility: a capability to change operating frequency and/or band shape; this can be employed to fit into unused spectrum segments.
Non-interference: a capability to avoid causing harmful interference to designated users of the spectrum.
Such a cognitive radio technology can improve spectrum efficiency by dynamically exploiting underutilized spectrum, and, can operate at any geographic region without prior knowledge about local spectrum assignments. It has been an active research area recently.
FCC Spectrum Reform Initiatives
FCC has been at the forefront of promoting new spectrum sharing technologies. In April 2002, the FCC issued an amendment to Part 15 rules that allows ultra-wideband (UWB) underlay in the existing spectrum [FCC, “FCC first report and order: Revision of part 15 of the commission's rules regarding ultra-wideband transmission systems,” ET Docket No. 98-153, April 2002]. In June 2002, the FCC established a Spectrum Policy Task Force (SPTF) whose study on the current spectrum usage concluded that “many portions of the radio spectrum are not in use for significant periods of time, and that spectrum use of these ‘white spaces’ (both temporal and geographic) can be increased significantly”. SPTF recommended policy changes to facilitate “opportunistic or dynamic use of existing bands.” In December 2003, FCC issued the notice of proposed rule making on “Facilitating Opportunities for Flexible, Efficient and Reliable Spectrum Use Employing Cognitive Radio Technologies” [FCC, “Facilitating opportunities for flexible, efficient, and reliable spectrum use employing cognitive radio technologies,” ET Docket No. 03-108, December 2003] stating that “by initiating this proceeding, we recognize the importance of new cognitive radio technologies, which are likely to become more prevalent over the next few years and which hold tremendous promise in helping to facilitate more effective and efficient access to spectrum.”
While both UWB and cognitive radio are considered as spectrum sharing technologies, their approaches to spectrum sharing are substantially different. UWB is an underlay (below noise floor) spectrum sharing technology, while cognitive radio is an overlay (above noise floor) and interlay (between primary user signals) spectrum sharing technology as shown in FIG. 1. Through sensing combined with operational flexibility, a cognitive radio can identify and make use of spectral “white spaces” between primary user signals. Because a cognitive user signal resides in such “white spaces”, high signal transmission power can be permitted as long as signal power leakage into primary user bands does not embody harmful interference.
Broadcast TV Bands
Exemplary broadcast TV bands are shown in Graph 200 of FIG. 2. Each TV channel is 6 MHz wide. Between 0 and 800 MHz, there are a total of 67 TV channels (Channels 2 to 69 excluding Channel 37 which is reserved for radio astronomy). The NPRM [FCC, May 2004, op. cit.] excludes certain channels for unlicensed use: Channels 2-4, which are used by TV peripheral devices, and Channels 52-69, which are considered for future auction. Among the channels remaining, Channels 5-6, 7-13, 21-36, and 38-51 are available for unlicensed use in all areas. Unlicensed use in Channels 14-20 is allowed only in areas where they are not used by public safety agencies [FCC, May 2004, op. cit.].
It can be appreciated that Channels 52-69 are currently used by TV broadcasters and it is not clear if/when they will be vacated. There is significant interference in the lower channels 5-6 and 7-13. Based on these considerations, the spectrum segment 470-806 MHz covering TV channels 14-69 can be of particular interest.
Spectrum Opportunity in the TV Bands
Spectrum opportunity can be a direct result of incumbent system inefficiency. In TV bands, a signal from a TV tower can cover an area with a radius of tens of kilometers. TV receivers can be sensitive to interference such that TV cell planning may be very conservative to ensure there is essentially no co-channel interference. This can leave a substantial amount of “white spaces” between co-channel TV cells as illustrated in the Map 300 of FIG. 3. Those “white spaces” can constitute an opportunistic region for cognitive users on a particular TV channel. Each TV channel may have a differently shaped opportunistic region. The total spectrum opportunity at any location can comprise the total number of opportunistic regions covering the location. A measurement in one locality shows an average spectrum opportunity in TV channels 14-69 of about 28 channels; that can be expressed as an equivalent bandwidth of approximately 170 MHz.